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Research

school of social work

Research represents the lifeblood of everything Boston College School of Social Work does. We approach social welfare and social work with the same intellectual rigor with which medical schools pioneer new stroke treatments, physicists explore the fabric of the universe, and business schools analyze best practices in investment finance.

We bridge theory and practice by systematically testing ideas and methods in research settings and translating the results into the field. This empirical approach enriches our academic programs and advances social policy and practice.

Our wide-ranging research appears in a variety of academic publications and makes headlines in mainstream media outlets. View Faculty in the News to see where our faculty have provided expert commentary or been recognized for their contributions and expertise in their field.

Center for Social Innovation

The Center for Social Innovation promotes "innovation from within." Our mission is to foster effective, sustainable social innovations that enhance social justice. We strive to build capacity within the social sector by preparing tomorrow's social service leaders, promoting the capacity of existing social service agencies to respond to current and future social issues, and building the evidence-base for social innovation.

Center on Aging & Work

The Center on Aging & Work focuses its research on one of the defining issues of the 21st century, to help the business community promote workplace flexibility and prepare for the opportunities and challenges associated with an aging workforce.

Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatric Social Work

The Hartford Center of Excellence (COE) in Geriatric Social Work provides leadership, education, training, and research within the field of geriatric social work. The Hartford COE demonstrates Boston College's commitment to training future generations of geriatric social work practitioners and faculty. The COE works to strengthen connections between academia and local practitioners while translating new research into policy and practice.

Immigrant Integration Lab

The Immigrant Integration Lab (IIL) is an applied research lab exploring the intersection of social work, social policy, and immigrant inclusion. IIL is committed to social justice, working toward the well-being of immigrants by pursuing a rigorous academic approach that seeks to understand the appropriate services and delivery systems that lead to full social, civic, and economic integration of the foreign born in the United States.

National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services

The National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services (NRCPDS) assists states, agencies, and organizations in offering participant-directed services to people with disabilities. Participant-directed services promote independence by helping participants decide for themselves what mix of personal-assistance supports and services best fits their needs. NRCPDS is the only national resource that performs this function. We provide national leadership, technical assistance, training, education, and research that improve the lives of people of all ages with disabilities.

Institute on Aging

The Institute on Aging is headed by James Lubben, the Louise McMahon Ahearn Professor of the Boston College School of Social Work. Lubben is a leading scholar in social gerontology with an active research agenda examining social support networks among older populations. He is also the National Director of the Hartford Doctoral Fellows Program in Geriatric Social Work.

The Institute on Aging provides an integrated framework for fundraising, research, teaching, and knowledge dissemination for three aging research centers at Boston College, two of them housed at Boston College School of Social Work: the Center on Aging and Work and the Center for the Study of Home and Community Life, as well as the Carroll School of Management's Center for Retirement Research.